- Easy fall afternoons exploring unique shops ✔️
- Endless cycling trails glowing with amazing autumn colours ✔️
- Time in the orchard with the apple of your eye ✔️
Just a stone’s throw from Hamilton and only about 7 km apart, getting to know the towns of Dundas and Ancaster makes for a very pleasant way to spend a fall afternoon.
Take It Outside
This part of Ontario has seemingly endless miles of cycling trails, and a very bike-friendly culture has bubbled up as a result. Cyclists will want to bring along their bikes, but will likely be tempted to do a little browsing at area bike shops like Freewheel Cycle, Dundas Speed Shop and Ancaster Cycle before or after their ride. The Hamilton-Brantford Rail Trail offers a beautiful fall ride on an almost entirely off-road 32-km trail that runs through the Niagara Escarpment.
Do Something Unexpected
While most of the Dundas Valley School of Art’s classes run over the course of several weeks, this fall there are a few shorter-length workshops, including a Leaves of Autumn Stained Glass Workshop and a 1,000 Photo Two-Day Challenge.
Stock The Trunk With Fall Flavours
Ancaster’s Carluke Orchards has been perfecting their pick-your-own apple experience since 1965. In addition to 13 varieties of apples, the farm offers pick-your-own pumpkins. There’s also an onsite bakery that offers 14 different kinds of fruit pies and nine different cookies for delicious day trip snacking!
If your travels take you through Dundas on a Thursday, be sure to visit the Dundas Farmer’s Market, which runs from 3 pm to 7 pm at the corner of Hatt Street and Dundas Lane. Ancaster’s Farmers’ Market is held on Wednesdays from 3 pm to 6 pm.
Score One-of-a-kind Finds
Those who love to cook will adore scouring the shops of Dundas for ingredients and gadgets. Can’t-miss foodie favourites include Picone Fine Food, The Keeping Room, Cumbrae’s and Weir’s Lane Lavender and Apiary.
Sip Something New
Brewers Blackbird, in Ancaster, is a new addition to Hamilton Halton Brant’s thriving craft beer scene and definitely worth checking out. In Dundas, Shawn and Ed Brewing Company serves up one-of-a-kind brews in a lovingly restored curling rink!
Settle In For A Tasty Meal
A delicious earth-to-table meal in a dining room built to overlook a waterfall is a fall foodie must, and Ancaster Mill is the place to do it. In Dundas, Quatrefoil’s contemporary French cuisine has been creating buzz for a decade!
Explore A Little More
For additional ideas for your Dundas and Ancaster adventure, find suggestions at Shop Ancaster Village and Downtown Dundas. Extend your trip by navigating a little farther afield in the nearby communities of Hamilton, Burlington and Oakville.
